Integrated Supplier Diversity Syste

Abstract

Current Scenario:

Supplier diversity for many organizations is synonymous to social justice. Thus diversity is associated to spend and diversity initiatives to cost centers. The idea of diversity as social justice clubbed with the perception of a MBE as subpar service percolates corporate procurement to non-essential, non-critical and less value added procurement to diverse suppliers. Unintended consequence in all these is an overall reluctance to consider MBE as a source of diverse business talent pool driving innovation and growth on one hand and an urge to promote diversity through non-essential, non-critical products / services

The Challenges

While corporate embrace diversity and harness the power of diversity at an individual level, corporate is nowhere near embracing MBE’s value in the Supply Chain and harnessing the power of true supplier Diversity. This is because most of the small diverse companies are on shoe string budget and have very little touch points within corporate’s buyer needs. Corporate procurement are through structured supply chain of empaneled Tier 1 Suppliers. Diverse suppliers are registered through one of most rudimentary system, at best it serves as an online directory / yellow pages of diverse suppliers. This neither allows the corporate nor the Tier 1s to utilize the Diverse Suppliers. Even if the diverse supplier manages to earn the status as a tier 1 Supplier, it is very difficult to maintain, sustain and grow beyond the initial engagement.

The Solution

DGBS presents an Integrated Supplier Diversity System that mimics the existing supply system to engage diverse and or other smaller suppliers at secondary level. The System allows diverse suppliers and other smaller suppliers to participate even in a smaller subcomponent of a project. While the project could be awarded to a primary supplier, the system allows qualified and promising niche diverse supplier for select sub components as approved Tier 11. The system can report the tier 2 spend reports

The integrated system allows the capabilities of Tier II available across the enterprise.

Status of the product.

DGBS built the proof of concept and demonstrated to numerous clients. Given the limited resources, DGBS could not sustain the product initiative.

Who is your customer?

What problem does this idea/product solve or what market need does it serve?

This provides a collaborative environment for diverse suppliers to engage with the end users at Tier II level even on a specific portion of the project

What attributes will make this idea/product successful? Why do you believe that those features will create success?

Small diverse companies, specifically in technology areas are nimble, creative and cost effective. They have limited reach, would need a collaborative environment for end users to interact seamlessly for specific customer needs. The system mimics Supply chain to tier II & Tier III qualified diverse supplier, providing a collaborative environment for Tier II Tier III, The system allows users to rate and select Tier II tier III suppliers to be tagged to the primary for project needs.
The system provides integrated environment for diverse suppliers active participation, system reports for Tier II / III spend
This product will be successful because it recognizes the fact that today's diversity is diversity of thoughts, ideas and creativity in a global environment, the best and the brightest as ethnic minorities from different parts of the world

Explain how you (your team) will execute to make this idea/product successful? What gives you (your team) an advantage over others already in the market or new to this market?

DGBS as a diverse supplier has over 10 years of experience from supplier's perspective
DGBS will few clients from different industry to refine the integrated second tier supply chain mechanism for diverse suppliers.
Latest technology such as video interface, 3D printing, Hololens capabilities will provide the cutting edge for collaborative environment
This is a conceptual product with virtually no competition.
The value derived through virtual collaboration between corporate, Tier 1 & Tier II would sustain the product stabilization & growth